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One folder. More ways back to the image.
Lumen starts with the folder you already use, then adds the memory, retrieval, curation, and finishing tools that a folder cannot provide on its own.
Start with a folder
The folder remains the source of truth. Lumen adds a working view over it.
On first launch, choose a folder you explicitly want Lumen to follow. It can be Downloads, Pictures, a project directory, or any other real folder you already understand.
The image wall is designed for orientation first. Thumbnails arrive progressively, filenames stay available, and the interface keeps deeper state behind the surface until it helps with the next decision.
There is no import copy to reconcile later. The folder and its files stay where macOS expects them to be.
Build local memory
Lumen remembers successful work so every relaunch does not become a fresh scan.
Automatic processing can create thumbnails, display traits, OCR, exact fingerprints, generation provenance, dominant colors, and local visual embeddings when the required model is available.
That work is durable and keyed to content identity. A file path is useful for opening the source, but it is not the only thing Lumen knows about the image.
Processing resumes after relaunch, prioritizes what is in front of you, and keeps the last useful presentation visible while deeper work settles.
Retrieve from the clue you still have
Exact text and associative visual signals can share one search surface.
Words search covers filenames, paths, tags, notes, OCR, and provenance. Appearance search uses local visual understanding when the optional model is ready. Both can be combined, with the active mode kept visible.
Color families, traits, dates, curation, and folder scope narrow the result. Match reasons explain whether an image arrived because of text, appearance, color, or another local signal.
The practical difference is simple: you can begin with “pricing table”, “warm orange”, or a folder and refine from there instead of reconstructing the exact filename.
Judge and curate
The search result is still a visual set, not a list of file paths.
Use the wall to keep context, Focus to inspect one image, and Compare to put candidates beside each other. Duplicate Review helps identify repeated content before cleanup.
Favorites, rejects, ratings, tags, collections, and notes are local curation state. They help you make a decision without changing the original pixels.
Finish safely
The last mile is part of the product, not an excuse to reopen another app.
Batch rename includes a preview. Smart Resize supports Crop, Fill, and Pad. Contact sheets and exports create derivatives from a selected set, and an installed local upscale pack can be used when it is available.
File lifecycle actions revalidate their exact targets at execution time. Browsing and derived work do not change originals. Rename, move, and Trash require explicit action and use recovery paths where macOS provides them.
Stay local by default
Lumen is not an account system, cloud DAM, or network AI product.
There is no cloud upload requirement and no analytics of your image content or local metadata. Model packs are local data and are verified before use. Derived data can be removed without touching originals.
Read the full privacy policy